Welcome To The Samplitude Access V9.0 Braille Support Document

Written by Pete Torpey.
Last updated November 2021.
Copyright (©) 2016-2021 The Samplitude Access Project

Samplitude Access is subject to the terms and conditions of a Freeware License. The full text of the license can be found in the license.txt
Note: you can read about any changes made to the scripts and documentation in the:
V9.0 Change Log.
Or in the:
What's New in Samplitude Access V9.0.
Document distributed with these scripts. The scripts and accompanying documentation are offered as is with no warranty implied or otherwise.

When in Samplitude:

Press JawsKey plus H in any Window to get specific keystroke help


Because of the multiple changes with regard to how the MIDI Editor works in Samplitude Access, we created a document explaining how it works. You can read about all of the changes in the:

MIDI Editor Document object selection now has its own document. For in depth information on working with Objects please read the:
Working With Objects Document
The Take Composer is now accessible. For a detailed explanation of how to use the Take Composer, please read the: Take Composer Document

Overview of Braille support in Samplitude

In addition to the usual feedback that braille provides to JAWS users in menus, dialogs, and other windows, the Samplitude scripts also support several custom braille display modes. These custom braille display modes provide braille feedback in real time for various parameters that are changing and also enable users to vary certain parameters directly from a braille display. The custom braille display modes are only active in the Samplitude VIP and Visualization windows. In all other menus, dialogs, and windows braille reverts to its original and native functionality.


There are 3 custom braille display modes:

  1. Strip display mode - This mode shows the type of track and the state of various parameters for the track that has focus.
  2. Time Display Mode - This mode shows the position in the project as the project is playing.
  3. Meter Display Mode - This mode shows various meter values as the project is playing.

There is also a separate "passive" braille display mode that is meant for bypassing the above braille display modes if users find this necessary.

In addition, there are several hotkey functions that enable users to control what is displayed in braille and what is spoken by JAWS. These hotkeys are described below under the heading "Special Hotkeys for Use with Braille". They may be particularly useful for users whose braille displays do not have routing buttons.

The following sections describe what is displayed in each of the custom braille display modes and how the various braille routing buttons can be used to control certain parameters in a project as well as what specifically is displayed in each mode.

Strip Display Mode

The Strip Display Mode" displays various track parameters for the track that has focus along with the number and name of the track. The braille routing buttons can also be used to change various track parameters. In addition, the Strip Display mode indicates the type of track that has focus.

What is displayed in "Strip Display Mode"

The following list describes what is shown on the braille display from left to right when in "strip display mode".

  1. Cells 1 and 2 on the left of the braille display show "st" to indicate that users are in "Strip Display Mode".
  2. Cells 4 and 5 indicate the solo status of the track that has focus.
    1. ss equals track is soloed.
    2. sx equals track is not soloed.
  3. Cells 6 and 7 indicate the mute status of the track that has focus.
    1. mx equals track is not muted.
    2. mm equals track is muted.
  4. Cells 8 and 9 indicate the record status of the track that has focus.
    1. rx equals track is not armed for recording.
    2. rr equals track is armed for recording.
  5. An indication of the type of track that has focus.
    1. A number shows the track number for an ordinary track.
    2. An "F" indicates that the track that has focus is a Folder Track.
    3. An "r" indicates that the folder that has focus is a Revolver Track.
    4. A "T" indicates that the folder which has focus is a Tempo Track.
  6. The name of the track that has focus.
As an example, if the following line is shown on the braille display:
st sxmxrx 1: first audio track
the "st" indicates that a user is in "Strip Display Mode", sxmxrx indicates that the track is not soloed, not muted, and not armed for recording, focus is on track 1, and the name of the track is "first audio track".

Function of the braille routing buttons in "Strip Display Mode"

  1. Pressing the braille routing button above the first cell on the left of the braille display will toggle to the next custom braille display mode which will be the "time display mode". In the "strip display mode" this means pressing the braille routing button over the "s" in cell 1.
  2. Pressing the braille routing button above the second cell on the braille display will toggle into the "passive display mode" which bypasses the additional processing needed to keep the custom braille display modes active. In the "strip display mode" this means pressing the braille routing button over the "t" in cell 2. This mode is useful if you find that constant refreshing of the braille display is slowing down your system.
    Pressing the braille routing button over cell 2 again will toggle back to the ordinary "strip display mode".
  3. Note, when focus is on a Tempo Track only the first two routing buttons are active since Tempo Tracks do not have any of the usual track controls which are activated by the other routing buttons below.
  4. Pressing either the braille routing button over cell 4 or 5 will toggle the solo status of the track that has focus. This means pressing the braille routing button over the "s" in cell 4 or the "x" or "s" which appears in cell 5 depending on whether the track that has focus is "not soloed" or "soloed", respectively.
  5. Pressing either the braille routing button over cell 6 or 7 will toggle the mute status of the track that has focus. This means pressing the braille routing button over the "m" in cell 6 or the "x" or "m" which appears in cell 7 depending on whether the track that has focus is "muted" or "not muted", respectively.
  6. Pressing either the braille routing button over cell 8 or 9 will toggle the record status of the track that has focus. This means pressing the braille routing button over the "r" in cell 8 or the "x" or "r" which appears in cell 9 depending on whether the track that has focus is "not armed for recording" or "armed for recording", respectively.

Time Display Mode

The "time display mode" shows the position within a project in either bars/beats/tics format or hours/minutes/second format. The braille routing buttons are used to toggle the format from one to the other.

What is displayed in "Time Display Mode"

The following list describes what is displayed on the braille display in "time display mode".

  1. Cells 1 and 2 on the left of the braille display show "ti" to indicate that a user is in "time display mode".
  2. The next information on the braille display is the position in the project. The letters "bbt" indicate that the time is displayed in bars/beat/tic format and the letter "hms" indicates that the time is displayed in hours/minutes/seconds format.

Function of the braille routing buttons in "Time Display Mode"

  • Pressing the braille routing button above the first cell on the left of the braille display will toggle to the next custom braille display mode which will be the "meter display mode". In the "time display mode" this means pressing the braille routing button over the "t" in cell 1.
  • Pressing the braille routing button above the second cell on the braille display will toggle into the "passive display mode" which bypasses the additional processing needed to keep the custom braille display modes active. In the "time display mode" this means pressing the braille routing button over the "i" in cell 2. This mode is useful if you find that constant refreshing of the braille display is slowing down your system.
    Pressing the braille routing button over cell 2 again will toggle back to the ordinary "time display mode".
  • Pressing a braille routing button over any cell other than cell 1 or 2 will toggle the time format between bars/beats/tics and hours/minutes/seconds format.

    • Meter Display Mode

    The "meter display mode" shows the various meter values as well as the number and name of the track that has focus. xxx The braille routing buttons are used to toggle amongst the various meters.

    What is displayed in "Meter Display Mode"

    The following list describes what is displayed on the braille display in "meter display mode".

    1. Cells 1 and 2 on the left of the braille display show "me" to indicate that a user is in "meter display mode".
    2. The next information on the braille display is the type of meter and the meter values for that meter. The 3 different meter types are denoted by the letters "rms", "act", and "max", respectively.
    3. The number of the track that has focus.
    4. The name of the track that has focus.

    Function of the braille routing buttons in "Meter Display Mode"

    1. Pressing the braille routing button above the first cell on the left of the braille display will toggle to the next custom braille display mode which will be the "strip display mode". In the "meter display mode" this means pressing the braille routing button over the "m" in cell 1.
    2. Pressing the braille routing button above the second cell on the braille display will toggle into the "passive display mode" which bypasses the additional processing needed to keep the custom braille display modes active. In the "meter display mode" this means pressing the braille routing button over the "e" in cell 2. This mode is useful if you find that constant refreshing of the braille display is slowing down your system.
      Pressing the braille routing button over cell 2 again will toggle back to the ordinary "meter display mode".
    3. Pressing a braille routing button over any cell other than cell 1 or 2 will cycle between displaying the "rms", "act", and "max" meters.

    Note: When in the "meter display mode" the Samplitude Visualization window is automatically opened so that the meter values can be read. The Visualization window is then automatically closed again when toggling out of this mode. If having the Visualization window open at any time presents a problem, it can be closed by hitting Control plus F4. The "strip display mode" and "time display mode" are only active in the VIP window.

    Passive Braille Display Mode

    In some circumstances users may wish to bypass the processing required to constantly refresh the braille display. As described in the above sections, pressing the braille routing button over cell 2 on the braille display will toggle between this passive display mode and the other custom display modes.

    Special Hotkeys for Use With Braille

    These hotkeys enable users to control what is displayed in braille and what is spoken by JAWS. They may be particularly useful for users whose Braille displays do not have routing buttons but can also be used instead of using the routing buttons if available.

    1. Toggle braille mode on/off equals Control plus Alt plus B.
      2. When braille mode is "on", the strip, time and meter displays are all updated in real time as values change. In addition, when the meter display mode is active, the changing meter values are not spoken by JAWS as they normally would be since a user can view these changing values in braille.
      When braille mode is "off", the scripts bypass the additional processing required to keep information shown in the various Braille display modes up to date. Thus, the various displays will not be refreshed as values change. This mode is useful if users find that the additional processing required to keep the display refreshed is slowing down the responsiveness of the system.
    2. Mute/Unmute JAWS speech equals Control plus Alt plus B pressed twice quickly.
      3. This is a quick hotkey for muting and unmuting JAWS speech.
    3. Cycle through the various braille display modes equals Shift plus Alt plus B.
      4. Pressing this hotkey will cycle the braille display modes from strip display, to time display, to meter display, and back to strip display again.
    4. Toggle "passive braille display mode" on/off equals Shift plus Control plus B pressed twice quickly.

    In addition, several standard hotkeys can be used to control what is shown on the braille display. These include:

    1. F6 to activate the ACT meter display.
    2. F7 to activate the MAX meter display.
    3. F8 to activate the RMS meter display.
    4. Control plus Shift plus 1 to switch to bars/beats/tics format if in the time display.
    5. Shift plus Alt plus 2 to switch to hours/minutes/seconds format if in the time display.